Deviation
by xxfolkvir
Summary: The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. Alex's missions are always successful, but his methods are......quite different. A collection of one-shots. Count: 3
1. Deviation

**Disclaimer: **Characters are not mine! Duh! All of them belong to the wonderful Anthony Horowitz.

Midnight Swim

Alex snatched the CD from the wooden oak table. He grasped it tightly in his hand and took off. In the distance he heard the angry shouts of men. He picked up his pace. He couldn't let them catch him. The results would be quite disastrous.

That CD in his hand was one of the most important pieces of technology in the world. It contained a special program that could hack into any computer network. Security networks around the world would not be safe from this little program. It was one of a kind and it was in the wrong hands.

This CD was passed from hand to hand based on the highest bidder. It was currently valued at approximately four million dollars in American currency. The current holder was a middle-aged businessman who had previously worked for the American CIA. Said man had been fired for mucking up a mission and leaking information to outsiders, namely criminals for money. This man wanted revenge and got it in a small package. The CD.

Unfortunately, this CD was in the grasp of one teenage spy, Alex Rider who was currently running for his life. It had been two years since his first mission. He was still working for MI6, surprisingly. He was just too good at what he does.

Alex wound through the hallways searching for a way out. A stairwell made its appearance on his left. He rushed towards it. He was faced with a choice. Up or down. He knew he couldn't go down. By now, the first three floors of the ten story building, was probably filled with armed men. All searching, for him. So he went up.

Up and up, he climbed. The stairs seemed endless. Hopefully there would be a fire escape or a ladder at the top for Alex to escape with. His breath whooshed in and out as climbed the stairs. White-washed walls surrounded him, closing him in. His legs burned as he worked his way up.

_Almost there, almost there_, was the mantra that repeated itself in Alex's brain. On the eight level of the building, he heard a crash down below.

"He's probably in here!" shouted a man several levels below. "Hurry up and get him. We can't let him get away."

Thundering footsteps invaded the previous quite of the stairwell. Alex moved faster, taking the stairs two at a time. He could hear bullets ricocheting off of the railings and walls. A pattern of holes materialized at his right. _Bugger, _he thought, _they could see me. _A bullet grazed him and he hissed. He had no time to look at it now, his life was still at stake.

Fortunately, he had made it to the top without getting shot severely. He reached the door that opened to the roof of the building and kicked it open. A fresh breeze greeted him. The stars twinkled above him and he heard the rushing of traffic ten stories below. There was the sound of lapping water. The building, Griffith & Rockner Law, stood next to a large river. He could see ships gliding along the slick dark waters.

Alex looked around himself anxiously. Not a ladder or fire escape in sight as he moved to examine the edges of the roof. He was trapped.

Alex was startled as the door connecting to the stairwell crashed open again. A flood of armed men made their way across the roof. The businessman stood in front and glowered with his gun raised. They lined up to face Alex who was still standing near the edge of the roof.

"Alright, games over. Hand over the disc before I shoot you," growled the man.

"Oh you mean this one?" asked in Alex in a polite tone.

"Of course that one. Don't play stupid wit…..,"started the man. His eyes bugged out.

Alex had taken that precious CD and snapped it over his leg. He threw the broken shards of the CD at the businessman. He grinned maliciously.

The man's face grew red in anger. Without further ado, the man pulled the trigger of his gun which was still aimed at Alex.

A single shot rang out. Its sharp bang pierced the silence that had blanketed the roof. Alex fell in a graceful arc. Off the rooftop. There was a splash in the waters below. He had fallen into the river.

The businessman and his fellow guards looked down at the dark shape that was Alex's body in the water. It was still, rocking gently with waves of the river.

"Stupid boy," snarled the businessman. He and his fellow men made their way back towards the stairs. They were fairly sure that Alex was dead. The man was disappointed. He had paid a lot for that CD which was now lying broken on the rooftop, useless. And he had killed a boy over it, not that it really mattered to him. He could always try another way of infiltrating the CIA. It wasn't like he lacked the money.

Ten stories below, the dark shape floated. Then it moved. It stretched and surfaced. The wet head of a boy broke the surface and gasped in air. Slowly the boy made his way towards shore. A tiny trail of blood followed him in the water. It came from his shoulder. Said boy collapsed onto the bank breathing heavily.

"Alex! Alex? Are you there?" crackled a voice in the boy's ear. "Are you alright?"

Alex winced as he turned onto his back. Yes, he was alright. Luckily, it had only been a small graze on his shoulder. The man had missed his heart as he had fallen off the building. A most unorthodox way of escaping, but effective.

"Yes," said Alex while smirking. "I made a slight deviation in the plan, but everything was successful. I'm coming home now."

"That's wonderful to hear. We will be waiting for you at…" replied the voice. Alex pulled the device from his ear and his mouth, killing the connection. He already knew where the car was waiting for him.

The dark outline of a boy was seen loping along the bank of the river. He disappeared into the night.

**AN: Wrote this little bugger while in the middle of musing about the tenth chapter of Trigger. I'm not exactly sure why. The scene just stuck in my head for some reason. What do you think? Hmmm I may make a series of one-shots…..depending if I get another brainwave of an awesome Alex Rider action scene. We shall see.**

**xoxo }} folkvir**


	2. Try Again

It was a hot day in Jordan, the sun searing the backs of many people who wandered down the market street. Colorful stalls filled with unique products were lining both sides of the street. Tourists meandered down the street looking for interesting souvenirs to take home. Children ran around playfully while their mothers shouted down the street. A lone boy leaned against the stalls of one of the stalls.

He was a good looking boy, with dark brown hair that hung over his serious brown eyes. His skin was a nice shade of brown, tanned from being in the sun so long.

Alex shaded his eyes against the glaring sun. He was currently fingering a red and gold scarf displayed on one of the stands. He thought it would look good on Jack. He would buy it for her, he decided.

He started bartering with the shopkeeper in flawless Arabic. _It was a beautiful language_, he thought, _it flows right off the tongue_. He had learned to speak it over the years during his missions. He knew close to ten languages now. Finally the price was settled at five dinars for the scarf. He folded it neatly and stuffed inside his jean pocket. He walked away smiling.

However, he was not in Jordan just to buy a pretty scarf for Jack. In truth, MI6 had sent him here to investigate. His job was to get close to the minister's family that was friendly with the Jordanian king. MI6 suspected foul play when one of their agents had disappeared on the same mission in Jordan. Thus, they sent their best in. Alex Rider. Alex didn't look anything like he used too. His hair had been dyed a dark brown and his skin had tanned to match the skin tone of most Jordanians. He looked, spoke, and acted like he was a native Jordan. That was how good his cover was.

He walked slowly down the street pondering how exactly to infiltrate the minister's house. It was no easy deal since the place was no doubt swimming with guards. Perhaps, he should make friends with the minister's son?

Alex wasn't looking at where he was going and bumped into a stranger. He could smell the alcohol wafting on the man's breath. There were several men behind this one. They were all drunk. The man in front sneered at Alex. He got a bad feeling in his gut.

Hoping to smooth the situation over, Alex apologized profusely. The drunken man heard none of this. Instead, a drunken fist came swinging his way. His mates egged him on. _Bugger, _thought Alex. He had wanted to lay low for the day and get a feel for the city, but trouble found him. Trouble always followed him like a lost puppy dog.

Alex ducked the swinging fist. The man staggered when his fist hit nothing. The guy cursed fluently and lunged at Alex again. Again, dodging the meaty fist, he started running away. He didn't want to make scene since he was up against several angry looking men.

He weaved in and out of the crowds looking for an open door or alley to escape through. He could hear the lumbering footsteps of the men chasing him. Angry shouts filled the street as the people were pushed to the side.

Alex grimaced as he felt the sweat dripping into his eyes. Hurriedly he drew a sleeve across his forehead. He couldn't afford running blindly. His shirt was also sticking to his back, drenched in sweat from the intense heat and exertion. Soon he had passed onto a street that was less crowded, then one that was almost empty of people. The men were still following him.

He saw the entrance of a dark alleyway and glanced behind him. _Good, they were still a ways away,_ he thought. It gave him plenty of time to disappear into the alley. Without breaking stride he ran into the dark alley and came to a stop. It was a dead end. A sheer wall rose up in front of him. He had run straight into a trap. Alex tried the doors around him, none would open. Then he saw a narrow crevice between one of the buildings and the next. It would be a tight fit.

Silently as he could, he squeezed into that tiny space. He could feel his shirt being torn up by the rough edges of the wall. His breathing quieted as he listened for the men. The footsteps and mumbled cursing came nearer. They had come into the alley to investigate.

"That brat ran fast!," grunted one of them in Arabic. They kicked around a few trash cans and shouted more profanities. Alex suppressed a chuckle.

"He probably didn't come in here. There's a dead end," said the harsh voice of another. "Come on, let's go. I need another drink, anyways."

Slowly the men trickled out of the alley, believing that they had lost the boy. Alex let out a sigh of relief when he was sure they were gone. He eased himself out of the crack and grimaced. His back felt raw since the wall had cut it up with its roughness.

He felt the back of his shirt. It was in tatters. Sighing, he started loping back to his hotel. He would try again tomorrow.

_Damn, _he thought as he ran, _that had been his favorite shirt too._

**AN: So there it is, another one-shot. What do you think? I know, its random, but who cares? XD **


	3. Paper Planes

Paper Planes

Alex crouched behind the black leather wing backed chair. He listened for any footsteps outside of the double oak doors. He sighed in relief when all he met was silence. Obviously he was not supposed to be here.

Said boy glanced around the room, searching for something. It was lavish study with a giant bookcase adorning one whole side of the wall. Oil paintings were distributed in an even pattern on the other two sides of the walls. The entire third wall of the study was made of glass and had a sliding door. The room was bathed in sunlight.

The soft tread of the boy was the only sound heard in the study. He crept around the room occasionally prying a painting from the wall, looking behind it. He was looking for a vault in a prominent French government official's house. Uninvited of course. He ground his teeth in frustration as he found nothing.

His goal was to retrieve a computer chip that contained highly classified information on how to produce biological weapons. As usual, such highly dangerous information always landed in the wrong hands. It was Alex's job to prevent a disaster.

Alex had scoured almost the entire room by now. He had only one more painting to check. Quickly he strode over to a beautiful oil painting of park and peeked behind it.

Gray metal shone. He had finally found the vault. He let a quite sigh of relief and glanced at his watch. Good, he still had a fair bit of time to crack open the safe. Then he looked closely at the container and almost groaned out loud. It was Israeli-made and had a glass relock system. He hated these kinds of safes. There is pane of glass behind the door. If Alex didn't drill exactly through the hole, he would crack the glass and steel rods would lock into place making the vault impossible to open. That would render his whole mission useless.

From his pocket he withdrew a pen made by the wonderful Smithers. It was a specially made pen that doubled as a miniature drill. Alex smirked.

He chose an exact place near the dial of the vault and started to drill. Luckily before this mission, he had received intense training on how exactly to crack all different kinds of vaults and safe. He had pretty much mastered the skill and could crack most vaults under 10 minutes. This one might take longer, he would need to be careful.

Alex held his breath as he listened to the quite whirring of the drill driving a hole into the metal of the vault. Deeper and deeper it went. His breath caught as he encountered a loud crack. He swore under his breath in five different languages. He had cracked the glass. Fortunate for him, the steel rods hadn't come down yet. Carefully he retracted his tool. He would have to open the vault by using the dial.

He closed his eyes for a brief minute to collect his thoughts. He could do this. He glanced at his watch. Damn, there was only five minutes remaining. After that, the guard shift in the house would change. That meant every room in the house, including the study would be thoroughly checked. He had to crack it before then.

Slowly he began turning the dial, listening for the almost inaudible clicks and jars as the dial spun around. Every once in a while he would write down numbers in his hand. He crossed a few out. He looked down. Only two minutes left. He already had two of the combination numbers, but he couldn't seem to get the third one.

Alex forced himself to take a deep breath and focused once more on his task. His heart pounded furiously in his chest. He fancied he could almost hear the guards starting to stir in the house. One minute left.

_Click._

_51 seconds._

_Click._

_Click,_

_43 seconds._

_Click._

_The voices of guards wafted downstairs. _

_Click._

_37 seconds_

_Click. _

_A guard laughed in the distance._

_30 seconds._

He felt it. The mechanisms unlocked. He unconsciously let out the breath he had been holding in. He had done it. Hurriedly he opened the safe. There were all kinds of things in there. From wads of cash, to jewelry, and at the bottom of all these possessions was an envelope.

With almost trembling hands, Alex pried the seal off and looked inside. There it was. An innocent looking computer chip sat in his hand, its tiny metal surfaces winking in the sunlight. He stuffed the envelope as well as the chip into his pants pocket. He glanced once more in the safe and then shut it.

The sound of a turning lock made him freeze. The handle of door to the study was turning. The guards were coming in to check. Quickly, Alex shut the vault door once again and replaced the painting. Two men came bursting in.

"Ce que l'enfer faites-vous dans ici ?" asked one of the guards in an outraged and astonished tone.

The man had yelled in French, but Alex knew what he said and grimaced. He would need to make an escape immediately before the guard called down a whole battalion of them. Before both of them radio their superiors, Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out another useful gadget Smithers had made for him.

It was a specially modified iPhone equipped with a few interesting things. The guards' eyes bugged out, not understanding why the boy had pulled out a cell phone. The phone was finger-print sensitive and Alex slid to unlock the screen. In deft motions, his fingers flew to a particular song. He fast forwarded it. All of this took no longer than 5 seconds.

_Sometimes I feel sitting on trains  
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game  
Everyone's a winner now we're making that fame  
Bonafide hustler making my name_

The guards looked at Alex in confusion. They weren't exactly the brightest stars in the universe and Alex was glad for that.

_All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)  
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)  
And take your money_

All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)  
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)  
And take your money

Alex hit a button on the side of the iPhone twice as the gunshots in the song sounded. Both of the guards clapped their hands to their necks. Alex had hit them with a tranquilizer dart each. Alex smirked. He loved Smither's genius. The darts were made to spit out at the exact moment when Alex pressed the side button during the chorus gunshots. He slid the phone back into his pocket

Like a shadow, the teen spy slid open the glass door and sprinted through the well-furnished garden. It would take a few minutes for the guards to be found out. Alex vaulted over several walls and fences. A car was waiting for him off the road.

Alex slid into the dark interior of the car just as he heard the alarm sounding in the Frenchman's mansion. He grinned to himself. He really liked that song. Teenage spy leaned back in his seat and hummed to the tune of Paper Planes all the way to the airport.

*Ce que l'enfer faites-vous dans ici ? French for: What the hell are you doing in here? (I used an online translator)*

**AN: Hey, another one-shot peoples! I actually had to do some research for this one such as the special vault. Then I used an online translator for the French, sorry if I totally butchered it or something. As for the song, I got it from the Slumdog Millionair movie and I fell in love with it. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this one. Oh and please review. ;D**

**P.S. A huge thank you to my wonderful beta ****Crazimani****! She inspired this oneshot!**


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